Joan A. Palmero protesting the fact that the return of a statue of the Virgin Mary to the traffic island at South Boulevard and Westfield Street in West Springfield may be only termporary. The mayor has allowed it to be returned pending him getting a legal opinion from the town attorney.Republican photo/ Sandra E. Constantine

“We’re upset because she is not going to be here permanently,” 65-year-old Joan A. Palmero of West Springfield said. “Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, they’re taking that away from us.”

She and two other women were at the busy intersection of South Boulevard and Westfield Street starting about 11 a.m., holding signs with an image of the Madonna and the exhortation “Bring Mary Back to West Springfield.”

Over the image are the words: The display of The Virgin Mary on a traffic island adopted by Liquori’s was NOT a violation of separation of church and state because it was privately sponsored and maintained. Her removal WAS, however, a violation of FREEDOM OF SPEECH and FREEDOM OF RELIGION.”

Controversy has erupted over a letter sent to Liquori’s Pizza owner, Antonio Liquori, from Department of Public Works Deputy Director of Operations Vincent DeSantis III telling him to take down the statue. DeSantis wrote that religious symbols are not allowed on public property and complaints had been made.

Liquori has beautified the traffic island with flowers for about a year as part of the city’s adopt-an-island program. After planting flowers he decided to erect an approximately yard-high statue of the Virgin there. When he recently removed the icon from the traffic island he put it in his front yard just several doors away from his pizzeria on Westfield Street.

Palmero has a petition to the city calling for Mary’s return to the traffic island signed by more than 300 people.

Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger said Thursday the statue may be re-erected pending his getting a legal opinion from Town Attorney Simon J. Brighenti Jr. He does not have a timeline for how soon that may be. The mayor also said that DeSantis did not have the authority to order the statue taken down.

Reached about Friday’s demonstration, Neffinger said, “I don’t know what to say. She (Palermo) said she might go out there anyway just to bring attention to the issue.”

Brighenti told The Republican he is consulting a Constitutional expert about the matter and should have an opinion soon.

Meanwhile, protester 28-year-old Johanna K. Searles has come up with her own legal opinion. Searles, who has long, flowing hair and a Madonna-like appearance, brought her two children, 5-month-old Emily and 2-year-old Jacob to the traffic island. Motorists occasionally honked their horns to show solidarity with the women.

Searles said she believes the Constitution just prohibits establishment of a state religion not the display of religious icons in public spaces.

“This is very important to me. Our Blessed Mother has interceded so many times for me in my life,” Searles said. “I’m afraid for my children, what it is going to be like growing up in the world....Maybe if the Blessed Mary was more present in people’s life there wouldn’t be so much hate and violence.”

Meanwhile, Palermo said she is planning to have a procession from Liquori’s house bearing the statue to the traffic island when it is restored there on Sunday, Mother’s Day, at 10 a.m.